Cleaning engine parts using Electrolysis...

Imazdanation1 · Post by **Imazdanation1** » May 18th, 2006, 10:46 pm

I have been cleaning some parts i have and a friend of mine suggested that i use Electrolysis i tried this and i was amazed on how clean it got alot of the parts that had hard to reach areas. After i used the electroysis to clean the parts i polished them a few times and they look almost like new now. So if you guys look into this method of cleaning parts i think you would be more than happy using it and it isn't that hard to do. I just did a search and learned the basics on Electrolysis it was pretty simple. If anyone has any further questions on how to do it post here or PM me i will try and get some pics up of some parts i did next week.

Keith

fieromx3 · Post by **fieromx3** » May 18th, 2006, 10:56 pm

im interested is it costly?? info would be

Spinkx79 · Post by **Spinkx79** » May 19th, 2006, 10:10 am

Im confused....isnt that how girls get rid of their leg hair?

Jay72 · Post by **Jay72** » May 19th, 2006, 11:06 am

Yeah, post some pics. Before and after, if possible. Interested to see what parts exactly you've done this to.

ariesdude · Post by **ariesdude** » May 19th, 2006, 11:11 am

Electrolysis is generally not recommended for parts that have aluminium - like blocks, heads etc.

Cy · Post by Cy » May 19th, 2006, 12:43 pm

i've been using it for months.. on some light, but mostly 14guage and under steel..

My Electrolysis Page
My Electroplating page
My WebGallery with many more pics then are shown on the Cdomain pages

Spinkx79 · Post by **Spinkx79** » May 19th, 2006, 3:02 pm

Seems more like a messy pain.

I took 2 IM's (curved and stock probe) front and back valve covers, all my brackets and little pieces to a machine shop who dunked them in the hot tank for 2 days and cleaned them all up nice...cost me $20 for all of it.

Last wknd i changed a wheel bearing and while appart i took the steering knuckle to a sandblasting shop who cleaned it better than new in 10 min for $20 on a Friday at 4:30.

As much as this technique may work, it just seems to me that the time and mess to be cleaned would make it not worth it.

**How do you dispose of that bubling frothy crap when your done?

** Does it create any harmful gasses?

Ever try using COKE?

BADMX3 · Post by **BADMX3** » May 19th, 2006, 3:37 pm

Ever try using COKE?

yeah there are easier ways... a gritblast gun for the compressor only costs $20

Cy · Post by Cy » May 19th, 2006, 3:48 pm

K so this is the earth..ROUND...

-Hot tanks are good and cheap but can and will eat small parts or light metal..
-Sandblasters are great but aren't always cheap, especially if it's a detailed part and needs a small grain media(and aluminum usually needs plastic media)
-** I just sturred the froth back into the liquid.
-** The gasses created will depend on the chemicals you use...

I use H2O+NaCl+Na3PO4·12H2O = roughly Cl+Na4PO4·36H20

I did this in my workroom in my basement and only got an indoor public pool type smell.. .but not even close to as strong..Outside of the room, with the door open, you could not smell it...

I did add some bleach to it later and that created an eye-watering amount of chorline gas.. so I aired out the room and went back to NaCl·H20...

I've used concentrated Phosphoric Acid and dipped the metal into it... Doesn't take off enough of the rust on it's own and it's more expensive..

My setup cost about $12 in material + $0.03/hr in electricity...and it's reusable..

Proper Disposal of the chemicals is simply use a fan to evaporate the water over a couple days then mix baking soda into the sludge.. it's nuetralized @ that point and as harmless as a rusting car...

hgallegos915 · Post by **hgallegos915** » May 19th, 2006, 7:25 pm

Nothing like good old kitchen stove oven cleaner.

Cy · Post by Cy » May 19th, 2006, 9:41 pm

hgallegos915 wrote:Nothing like good old kitchen stove oven cleaner.

you have to realize that those products simply dissolve the stuff off the surface of the metal.. which doesn't take it all off... and the rust will still be there for the most part...

Electrolysis takes the FeO and releases the O atom.. effectively saving a bit of the metal..

Also... the oxygen released from the rust and from the water itself helps to remove EVERYTHING on the surface of the metal...

KJ · Post by KJ » May 20th, 2006, 11:55 am

Yes i too use the electrolysis cleaning method on some small parts. I use almost the same setup as CYC uses. It is a very good method of cleaning parts and like CYC said it is reusable. Good job on bringing this to the attention of others i thought i was unique in using this method lol. Low cost and a reusable method to all that have not tried it i recommend it.

KJ